Ted & Company

THE MEETING…” I think it’s a metaphor”

It was a mutual friend, John Denlinger. Ted “You’ve got to meet Jeff!” “Jeff, You’ve got to meet Ted!”  In this business you hear that a lot and very often it never really measure up to the anticipation. And many a well meaning friend has attempted to become a theatrical/musical match maker. But both Ted & I trusted and respected John. He is a man of integrity as well as holding a good deal of common sense. So this was one of those times we both thought “Okay”. That was back in January of 2004, at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. We were both going there and Ted called me up and asked if I would do a reading with him. I said sure. So I guess it was January 3rd, 2004 that Ted and I first took the stage together. It was a reading of the classic “Vinnie and Vito” "I tink it's a metaphor or sumtin" beautiful stuff...Each year at Laurelville I would work with Ted on the dramas that were staged for the Sunday morning service and our friendship grew.

JACOB’S LADDER… “How did we get here?”

It's the haunting lyric of the song "Healing of the Heart" written by Ken Medema. Ted & Lee had worked with Ken Medema and created “Fight for the Blessing”. It was one scene for a conference where Desmond Tutu had spoken. That eventually turned into a full length play called “Jacob’s Ladder”. And that was based on the struggle to forgive between Jacob and Esau. Two brothers pulled apart by misguided intentions and somehow brought back together by the incredible power of forgiveness. In the fall of 2006 Ted & Lee had the opportunity to do “Jacob’s Ladder” in Kalamazoo Michigan for an International Peace Conference. Ken was not available, he’s a busy guy.  So Ted called me and told me he was sending a CD to listen to. It was about 26 songs that Ken had composed. And his question was “Do you think you can learn these, and can you let me know in two days?”  Now keep in mind that Ken Medema is blind and his need for sheet music is well………okay he doesn’t need it. So everything is in Ken’s head when it comes to his music. I listen to the CD and said a quivering “yes, I can do this!”  That fall we re-mounted Jacob’s Ladder.  In the Spring of 2007 we continued and worked the show even more. Souderton Mennonite, Ridgeview Mennonite….it was ready….very ready. We were scheduled for Friday and Saturday May 18th and 19th 2007 at Harrisonburg VA.  …… Lee took his life on Thursday May 17th. It was devastating to say the least...."How did we get here? That was tough to answer.

TATTERED & WORN…”Me and God ain’t talking”

2008 was not just simply; “We are going to rebuild.”  This wasn’t an Amish barn-raising to be done in a couple of days. Ted had a lot of uncovering and rediscovering to do. Something that only time would provide. So the year was a lot of conversation. Some of it between Ted & I,  Ted & Sue….Ted & Bob & Kathleen, Ted & Ingrid…Ted & Trent…Ted & Sheri..........Ted &…..Ted…..  That year he was asked by a lot of well-meaning people “How are you doing?” I’d guess that it got a little annoying sometimes. Maybe they expected some fancy answer, but at some point Ted told me  “me and God ain’t talking”. And that hung with me for awhile. I called him back after a few days. “Remember when you said that you and God weren’t talking…. I think that’s okay Ted……because He’s listening.”

When you see the show Tattered & Worn, you will hear some of these lines in the dialogue and its a reminder of a place we all may have visited.

JUST GIVE EM THE NEWS………the story continues ....

Here are a few selected video clips from the new Christmas show "Just Give Em The News"

Get Mary Off the Donkey


Regular Joe


Mary Blooper